OR - 'Extreme Makeover' family accused of medical child abuse

[Missizzy]

From Las Vegas:

http://www.ktnv.com/story/14657917/...-extreme-makeover-home-edition-family-may?amp

Las Vegas 'Extreme Makeover' family accused of medical child abuse
May 17, 2011

"....The Cerdas said their little girls had combined immune deficiency disease, even wearing masks to protect against mold and mildew in their old house. But neighbors on that street, have always had their doubts.

"She should have never gotten the house," says MP. "She used to let her kids run around with no shoes on. If they're sick why would you let them do that?" Many neighbors tell Action News the girls didn't wear masks over their mouths, until TV cameras showed up. "They were outside before without the masks when the dad was cutting wood," says LC. "They never looked sick to us...."

and

"...They put the house up for sale and moved to Oregon and it was there, that the Cerda family came under scrutiny. This January, the Oregon Department of Human Services began investigating the Cerdas after a doctor in Clackamas County came to them. He believed the Cerda girls weren't that sick and were receiving medicine they didn't need.

and

"...He [Mikel Miller, the Cerda's attorney] says Oregon doesn't have the pediatric experts equipped to deal with these girls' condition. "Mom was talking to a lot of doctors about things they didn't understand," says Miller. "Rather than believe what mom was saying, they choose to believe that mom was making it up." Judge Susie L. Norby didn't buy mom's argument either and claimed Terri Cerda was a danger to the children.

Despite that, the girls were allowed to return home. "That's because the judge found that only the mother was a danger to the children and that the father was not a danger," says Miller. And as long as there is one competent parent, the girls can stay. Criminal charges were never brought against the Cerdas and it was solely a child custody case....."

more at link


OK, I'm familiar with this type of ruling concerning "one competent parent". The only problem is that the competent parent is not with the children currently. This article also makes clear that a doctor did have reason to believe that the children were being overmedicated. And to state that doctors in Oregon didn't understand the children's medical issues is laughable. Portland is known to have some of the finest Children's Hospitals and specialists in the country. Give me a break. And if a family has chronically ill children they typically check out a city and its medical services before moving there. And there's the issue of mold, too. Portland is surely many wonderful things but it's a might bit damp....always.

Meanwhile, two little girls are being given unnecessary medication and that unhinges me. I've lived through the aftermath of that type of abuse. But maybe they'll get another new puppy.

 

[Missizzy]

A photo of the house which was torn down. I wonder what could cause such severe mold in a dry climate like Las Vegas' that a home which is only about 15 years old would need to be completely destroyed? It's reported that the Cerdas bought the home while their daughter was in the ICU due to her disease. Wouldn't they have carefully checked out a home (wouldn't a title company too?) knowing that one parent and both children were so tremendously reactive to mold and germs? They also got a trip to Hawaii out of the deal.

http://www.lvrj.com/news/41196697.html

LV home becoming more healthful

"....The show's producers sent the family on vacation in Maui, Hawaii. During the next several days and the span of about 106 hours, volunteers, including contractors, plumbers, electricians, carpenters and other local individuals and companies, will pitch in to build the Cerdas a new home...."

more at link

I've also wondered why the mother and children aren't fully covered by insurance. After all, the father is employed by Homeland Security as a police officer.

 

[Missizzy]

This is not good. I sure hope Oregon found all this stuff.

Feb. 7, 2008

http://groups.google.com/group/prim...680ef37e8ce/6835762cb21380b4#6835762cb21380b4


"....I just wanted to pop in and let everyone know how things went in CA for us. We went out for a 2 days trip and came home 14 days and a lung surgery later. M has been diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis in addition to her PIDD and it is not good...."

April 27, 2008

Terri talks about how the girls have a therapist come and stay in their home 20 hours each week:

http://groups.google.com/group/prim...b98e4cef65e/99dcb360374b16dd#99dcb360374b16dd




And another article about the care and planning that went into the Las Vegas home:

http://www.ktnv.com/story/9991791/s...ed-to-create-the-cerdas-house?redirected=true

"....M and M, they can't go outside, they can't go to restaurants, they can't go to playgrounds so all the things inside have to really feel like home," said DD [Snyder, Extreme Makeover Designer]...."

More at link

 

[Missizzy]

Well this woman is certainly getting the attention she craves, I guess. Those poor little girls.

http://www.oregonlive.com/clackamascounty/index.ssf/2011/05/terri_cerda_a_mom_accused_by_o.html

'Extreme Makeover' family in media spotlight after 'medical child abuse' allegations

"....The "Today Show" and "Inside Edition," are working on stories about Cerda family, who were profiled in The Sunday Oregonian. The family was also the subject of a report Monday night on KTNV-TV, the ABC affiliate in Las Vegas, where the Cerdas lived before moving to Oregon....."

more at link

 

[Cyan]

I can understand that they had breathing & other health issues when they were in the mold-infested house but after that, all should have improved right? Except that by then all of them had probably learned that being sick gets you attention, money, new houses etc. etc. So now the mother is backpedalling b/c she'll probably get charged with some fraud offenses. I don't think she really has MBP - I think she's just a scam artist. Unfortunately, now she's made the kids into hypochondriacs or worse b/c of her scheming. JMO.

I'm very undecided after reading this, due to personal experience. Changing environments doesn't always improve things, especially where autoimmune disorders are involved. In fact, sometimes the introduction of new things can make situations much much worse.

I saw five different family physicians, one ENT, several different ER doctors, and two different immunologists and NONE of them agreed on a diagnosis. My symptoms?

I break out in hives and can't breathe well if I sweat
I have allergic reactions after bathing
I have allergic reactions if someone rubs my face with their beard
I go into anaphylactic shock over Eucalyptus
I go into anaphylactic shock over red dye # 40
I cannot eat fruits, vegetables, pork products, chocolate, beef without becoming disoriented and very ill
I have allergic reactions from my own body fluids.
Even Benedryl.

Allergy tests show that I am allergic to only:
Cats, Guinea pigs hamsters, gerbils, and bees. I was tested for reactions to foods and the dye. They came back negative.

Don't believe it?

I was diagnosed as having emphysema. And only emphysema.

I was in my current immunologist's office for less than 5 minutes before he figured out what was wrong with me. The standard wait time for results of testing for the disease is 20 minutes, but it took me 35 before I had the reaction to the testing. I, in fact, DID have allergy to all of those things.. sort of. I'm actually allergic to methane byproducts, which is often combined with other ingredients and listed under various names on labels. I don't react when it enters my bloodstream. I react to exposure thru topical contact, ingestion, and inhalation. After a month of immunotherapy, I went from being so out of breath that I was in a wheelchair back to being able to function pretty normally. Diagnosis?: Chronic hives with dermographism and adrenal suppression. Yeah, ONE doctor caught and fixed what 7+ others could not.

I'm not saying that the mother IS or IS NOT a crackpot. I'm not going to say that the doctors are or aren't either. Immune disorders are VERY strange things and can start off from something as simple as being overexposed to natural things or man-made products, foods, medications, toiletries.

Trust me, I learned the hard way.

 

[Missizzy]

A story about a mural that Terri arranged to have painted in 2006 in a pediatric office. She's done some good work. It's like she fell down a rabbit hole. She grew up in Colorado with a minister for a father. I even found a daily diary for President Ford and a notation of when he visited her father's church on Christmas in Vail in 1976. He's still ordained and works with hospice. She refers to herself as his "princess" on her MS. I'd give anything to understand what brought about her severe disorder. Being that her own father reports that he has never seen chronic illness with her children, maybe he can offer her some guidance. It's going to get ugly in the next few days, I'm afraid.

http://www.viewnews.com/2006/VIEW-Jul-18-Tue-2006/SEast/8464298.html

Being that she's lied about so many things, I wonder if Chuck actually does work for Homeland Security.

 

[Cyan]

I had to laugh when I saw the video of the mom and the girls out walking with a beautiful shepherd. Shepherds are notorious for shedding. Anyone who needs inhalers (as one little girl was shown using) would NOT have such a pet. She also wouldn't be out walking on a busy city street with exhaust fumes, etc.

I agree that the children look robust. One other thing I failed to mention is that children who are victims are quite commonly very attractive children. How strange is that?

And those girls are absolutely lovely.

I have asthma. I'm allergic to cats but have no reaction whatsoever to dogs.

 

[Missizzy]

Cyan--I fully understand and respect where you're coming from. It took me four years to get a diagnosis of Spinocerebellar Ataxia. I even had to travel to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. I've met some fabulous doctors and some nutty ones. Most doctors thought it was some strange form of MS but one dear woman would not give up until she nailed it.

I also have a number of adult children with very perplexing disorders, many of which are immune related--diabetes with complications, frontal lobe seizures, deafness, cerebral palsy, autism, MS, Marfan's and Behcet's. And please keep in mind that I'm an adoptive mom so all of these children, except one of the above, came to us with these disorders and we chose to adopt them knowing what would be required. They're just our kids. They are not defined by their diagnosis.

I do understand about different environments and triggers. It's kind of ironic as my husband's and my goal has not really changed in the last 37 years. Keep the kids as healthy as can be, stay out of hospitals whenever possible, exercise, eat good food, offer lots of time to be "just a kid", focus on the positive and build good work ethics. We have a daughter who is an extreme preemie survivor (1.5 lbs at 26 weeks). She is deaf, on the spectrum, has profound intellectual disability, and cerebral palsy but she works side by side with her siblings cleaning constructions sites for her dad. She's also responsible for pet care and help with laundry and works 20 hours each week at a restaurant. So, it takes a bit longer for her. She's proud to be independent. She's a real inspiration at age 23 and never ever whines about a thing. Our goal was to raise these kids and to gently nudge most of them out of the nest. We had no interest in wallowing in needless medical procedures.

That said, from my experience with three other mothers with MBP, there's not a doubt in my mind that Terri Cerda suffers from this disorder. I fully believe that Terri's own over-reaction to her children discomfort or even fleeting illness can and will exacerbate any illness the girls have. If not caught and stopped soon, there will be everlasting damage.

It is a slippery slope and I hope to high heaven that this is investigated thoroughly. I'm very surprised that Oregon did not order a full psychiatric work-up on both parents. Maybe Nevada can order that.

The bottom line is that these children deserve to have some semblance of a normal childhood. If they can laze around with furry pets, walk around barefoot, go without masks on busy streets, and travel to Maui, there's a strong possibility that they just might not be as ill as their mother alludes.

I'm sorry about your experience with getting a diagnosis. it's no fun for those of us who have hard to detect or rare diseases. Take care.

 

[marycarney]

I'm curious about the Dad's employment as well. As near as I can tell, Homeland Security does not employ 'policemen'. Airport screeners? Yes. Computer forensic people?Yes. Things on a national level.
How could DHS 'transfer' him?
This is such a tragic story - it'll be interesting to see how it all plays out in the end.
(Oh, and the mom's extreme concern about a fasting blood sugar of 112? That is a completely normal reading - for the uninititated)

 

[Missizzy]

According to another post by Terri, the girls also have "genius IQs:

http://learningismessy.com/blog/?p=272

"...They are awesome, emotionally intact children with genius IQs. The local school district is refusing to accept that the children need social interaction..."


Cyan--It's common for those with asthma to be allergic to some animals and not others. I have a daughter and a daughter by marriage who are the same way. Dogs are fine but cats are out. I have a friend who has the opposite reaction. What's not common is for those with SCID to have numerous animals in the home, IME.

 

[Missizzy]

Marycarney--I checked out Homeland Security and you're correct. I see nothing about "police officers" and that's the way the man was described. Here's a site that details what jobs the agency offers:

http://www.dhs.gov/xabout/structure/gc_1253889058003.shtm

I do see "armed contract security guard". On many of Terri's sites and posts, she discusses doing extensive disaster response, rescue work, and specialized K-9 training. Maybe that's how they met.

 

[marycarney]

Marycarney--I checked out Homeland Security and you're correct. I see nothing about "police officers" and that's the way the man was described. Here's a site that details what jobs the agency offers:

http://www.dhs.gov/xabout/structure/gc_1253889058003.shtm

I do see "armed contract security guard". On many of Terri's sites and posts, she discusses doing extensive disaster response, rescue work, and specialized K-9 training. Maybe that's how they met.

Well, I'm curious about some of the 'disasters' she's participated in. The Mexico city earthquake was in the 80's I think. I'm going to try and look that one up later - I'm baking a birthday cake right now

OK- both of those disasters occurred in 1985 - how old is this mom??

 

[Missizzy]

From her MS page:

"....I am the 47 year old mom of two little ladies, 4 and 6. I am a jack of all trades, a pro at none. I grew up on skis in Vail Colorado. I mountaineered and was on many major climbing expeditions. I spent all of my younger year as an athlete, a physical therapist, a disaster manager, a firefighter/paramedic and a search dog trainer. 40 years later, I grew up and started my family..."


Being that the girls are now 8 and 10, she would be 51 or 52.

She's moved around quite a bit. I'm not sure if that was before or after she had children. I think the "40 years later" statement is confusing. Forty years after what? Being seven years old? She also claims to have played flute in first chair with the World Children's Symphony Orchestra. She carved Native American flutes as a hobby (per a forum) and you can see enlarged photos of flutes in the house photos. Her maiden name is McMahon/McMahan...depending on which source you read. Here full name is Theresa Ann McMahan Cerda as far as I can tell.

 

[Missizzy]

The Mexico City Earthquake was in September 1985 and the Colombian mud slides in November of the same year. I found this:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...034&dq=terri+mcmahan+colombia+mudslides&hl=en

Spokane Chronicle
November 18, 1985

Search dogs won't go to Colombia

"A search dog team from Missoula isn't going to Colombia to search for victims of Thursday's volcanic eruption, a member of the team said today. Terry McMahan said three members of Great Northern Search Dogs Inc. were told Sunday night they wouldn't be traveling to the area because of the danger of more eruptions and mud slides. The group had been on standby over the weekend as possible members of a 20-40 member search dog team organized by a Salt Lake City group, McMahan said....."

more at link


From 2 days earlier:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...20,201971&dq=great+northern+search+dogs&hl=en

Spokesman-Review
November 16, 1985

Montana search dogs to help in Columbia

"At least three Missoula dog handlers apparently are among a group of search dog owners traveling to Colombia to look for victims of Thursday's volcanic eruption. Dr. Minott Pruyn, a Missoula veterinarian said he certified the health of three dogs brought in by members of Great Northern Search Dogs...."

and

"....hoping to fly to Armero, a town of 50,000 that was buried by a wall of mud. The search effort apparently was being organized by a Salt Lake City group. Pruyn identified the dog handlers as Terry McMahan, JH and JB....."

more at link



It doesn't appear that the group ever went.

 

[Missizzy]

http://groups.google.com/group/prim...1212d/c065bf1eed4bb1c8?q=author:"terri+cerda"

December 2007


".....Between July and September, she went from having completely normal CAT scans to having Moderate to severe bronchiectesis with appx 50% of her airways scarred. They do not know if she will recover...."

"....This is all thanks to a fellow training with our immuno that made the rash decision in July that the children did not need immunoglobin anymore. With in two weeks of discontinuing their immunoglobin, both children lost all their protective antibodies and, within another 3 weeks, their immunoglobin levels were terrible. They re-started their infusions about 6 weeks ago; after spending a week at UCLA on IVIG and IV antibiotics...."

"...I expect them [the tests] to be normal as her inhaled steroids seem to be making all the difference in the world for her....."

"...M is complaining of a great deal of leg pain and now shoulder pain. The odd thing is that when she is in a lot of pain, her joints are snapping and popping really badly and loudly. I wonder how many other PIDD kids have hypermobile joints. I am hearing other moms speak of this in their children. Santa is going to be giving M a wheelchair this Christmas.........I cannot carry her 50 pound body around anymore. Still, we are all hanging very well....."

more at link


And the doctors in Oregon saw absolutely nothing wrong? Neither did the children's grandfather. Really really odd. Hmmmm.

 

[forthelost]

And like I said before, infants with SCID get diagnosed right away, or close to it. They get seriously ill early on, with symptoms not unlike those of infants born with AIDS. And cystic fibrosis too? How'd they not notice the symptoms of that, especially if they have seen so many doctors as a result of SCID? The asthma symptoms don't seem realistic either, and I have a friend who has severe asthma.

edit: Immunogloblin is used to mitigate the symptoms of antibody deficiencies, which is one type of immunodeficiency. However, with a combined immunodeficiency there will be no effect since the cell mediated responses are also absent.

 

[Missizzy]

I'm aware that I'm burning up the keys researching this woman. I have a tendency to get on a rip about certain issues that bother me. I have several reasons why this case bothers me so deeply. First, I've parented sick kids and recognize that they need loving care but also confidentiality in their struggles. They also need truthfulness from their parents considering their maladies. Parents MUST work as a team with doctors and the school or nothing gets done. Life cannot be happy or healthy for children with constant bickering and fighting. I've written about my own children's challenges here on WS when I thought it was appropriate but I have never revealed their identities. In fact, all my children know that I write about our family's experience with the justice system. I try to be as vague as possible so that no one could ever figure out which young adult I'm speaking about. But I'm fully aware that if someone wanted to spend a couple of hours sleuthing me, they might be able to make a guess. That is exactly why I made a decision long ago that if I wrote something on a forum or a website, it would be 100% truthful as a lie or exaggeration will always come back to haunt you.

I've also dealt personally with MBP and have seen the destruction it brings to children and entire families. No one emerges unscathed.

Lastly, I'm not homebound....I'm bedbound. I'd give my right leg to be able to see my kids and grandkids, to go on a trip or even take a short walk with my dogs. I'm ticked off about this story and I know that isn't kind but there it is.

And finally, I think I figured out the trigger for this woman's MBP. It's always so sad.

http://groups.google.com/group/prim...12d3c/9c5428a1df1b024b?q=author:"terri+cerda"

Snips from a long post:

"....I had a terrible experience this morning. My mother is a terrible, horrible person. I was told years ago "some peopl are sick in their body and some people are sick in their heads......your mother is sick in the head"...."

"...My mother has had every physical malidy known to man at some point in her life....if you know what I mean....."

"...Apparently, she called my brother to find some sympathy. His response was to tell her that it was just another ploy for attention..."

"....she goes on to tell me that my father, my brothers and my sister have spent the
last year talking to each other about how this is all in our head....that there is nothing wrong with my children and I and that we are full of ****...."

"...my entire family has been talking about my family behind their backs and saying that we are "faking" WOW!! I would also believe that my father would say that as he has done everything but say it to my face. This is my family....the one that I have been there for in a heartbeat when something has happened to them....spent months nursing them and caring for them....giving up my life for them......and would do it again. WHY?
Terri"


Textbook Munchausen Syndrome and Munchausen by Proxy, to a "T". The girls are definitely in danger. History is going to repeat itself if the girls are not removed from this woman's care, IMO.

If Terri finds our thread, I beg her to please please please get the help she needs.....for her daughters' sake.

 

[not_my_kids]

MBP is one of those conditions that almost everyone has heard of and almost no one understands. It destroys families. It destroys children, as they learn NOT to trust their instincts and basic feelings about themselves. It destroys parents as they can't parent, they are too busy trying to find an illness. It leaves physical scars and it can kill. And yet, it isn't an "important" enough condition to be learned about, taught in the hospitals, so on and so forth.

My mother was never formally diagnosed with MBP, and I do to this day wonder if she didn't really believe that I was sick. She certainly WANTED to believe that I was sick. And it may have started with the best of intentions, as I do have a couple of very rare disorders that do require specialized treatment. I have geographic fissured tongue to the extent that even the few doctors that do have experience with the condition weren't aware that it could get as bad as mine has. It requires a specialized diet, but that's all it takes to control it. My mother never subscribed to that theory, believing that it could be cured (It's genetic and incurable.) So she would haul me to every specialist and get every repeat diagnosis and opinion that she could.That started when I was 2, and I really do believe that's what started the downward spiral with my mother. This was also when she became a single parent, and she had a very domineering mother that even at the at of 29, she was still largely dependent on. But in those doctor's offices, she was the expert on her child, and she was the one that was the good guy, giving up so much to take care of this sick child, and she was the one in control. She needed that. I also have massive genetic damage to my internal waste production systems, leading to many, many, many urinary tract and bladder infections. The treatment for that is also very simple, drink lots of water and avoid bubble baths and other stuff that can irritate me internally. She made me take bubble baths almost nightly and restricted me to pop and juice, which I couldn't drink much of because of my tongue.

The two most important things for me to stay away from on account of my tongue are salt and citric acid. My mother would pretty much dump salt into my mouth, which would make my mouth swell, my tongue swell and bleed, and would even make my throat swell a little. then she would rush me back to the hospital, followed by the rounds of all the specialists again, since I was having terrible "flare ups". Other than that, she wouldn't make me sick, she would just help me get sick. Taking me sledding in 24 degree weather with no coat. Removing all food items from the house except for those that contained things I couldn't eat safely. Refusing to clean cuts and scrapes. On top of all this, she was also an animal hoarder, so I was having lung problems and skin problems brought on by the animals, all 2 dozen of them, constantly sick and un-litter trained. SHe also made things up to tell the doctors, and that only stopped once I got old enough to contradict her. It did stop, when I was about 10, and started ratting her out every chance I got. At the doctor's office, to EMT's, to her friends. Every chance I got that I heard her lie, I would correct her. SHe hated it, I hated the fallout, but eventually I won, and she stopped.

She told all of her friends that I was horribly ill all the time, and I can't even remember all the diagnoses that I had in the years between 2 and 10. I know that at times, even when I didn't feel sick from her making me that way, I still coudln't play, as my arms were always terribly bruised from IV's and half the time, I was in pain from one test or another. They were myriad. She is still a complete hypochondriac when it comes to my health, and her own. She lies about family medical history, and she still refuses to admit that she did anything wrong. The slightest indication that I know I wasn't really sick all that time will result in a tirade about all the things she gave up, and how much of a struggle it was to keep me alive.

If I had believed her about all the illnesses or if I had enjoyed the attention myself, I know it would have gone on at least until I was the adult. AT LEAST. I would likely be doing the same to my children. I don't, but only because I realize that my mother was ill, not the dedicated martyr that she made and still makes herself out to be. I pray for these kids, I pray for the mother. She may be evil, but the chances are pretty good that she is just desperately mentally ill and it breaks my heart to see this kind of illness, as there are no winners. I have learned to see it as a form of OCD/child abuse, which to me is the worst kind, as it is compulsive and is also child abuse, meaning that I'm not sure the parent can control it until they are outed for it. And even then, I"m not sure they can really control it, just bury it or divert it into some other equally harmful type of abuse.

MOO.

 

[Missizzy]

NMKs--Thank you for sharing that story. It must have been an awful experience and so confusing for a child. Your mother sounds like a textbook case. FWIW, I'm starting to think that one can't be diagnosed as it is not listed in the DSM-IV. I think that's why Oregon called it "medical abuse". Your mother, as so many others, took a very real medical issue and ran with it. I admire you greatly for having the objectivity to recognize her disorder and how it affected your life. I am so pleased that you were able to shut her down. Were you the only victim of this treatment or did she do this to others? Did she have a tendency to falsify or exaggerate her own ailments for attention? And just curious, do you happen to know if she was sexually abused or seriously traumatized as a child?

I highly recommend that you read the book, "Sickened", as it is your story to a T. Julie Gregory's mother raced from doctor to doctor looking for any possible diagnosis for her healthy daughter. Julie marginally went along with the plan as it was the only way she could get attention from her very mentally ill and physically violent mom. When she got a diagnosis and the medication or special diet to go with it, she reacted exactly as your mother did--she secretly contradicted it. When Julie was diagnosed with high blood sugar, she poured sweetened cereals and soda into her. When she was given psychotropics, they were only dispensed sporadically, which totally messed up Julie's mind and bloodwork. Julie was literally ordered to lie to doctors that the meds were taken as directed and diets followed scrupulously. On the way to every doctor's appt., Julie would be drilled as to what to say and then rewarded with sweets and attention. If she told the truth, she suffered her mother's wrath. When her father tried to step in, he was violently attacked. Julie's mom totally ruled the roost.

When I read Julie's book, I wanted to share it with every caseworker I know. If they didn't have a copy, I bought one for them. I was surprised to hear back from one man who is a certifier for DDS. He shared that while in social work classes in college, his class was shown videos from hospitals which clearly showed mothers injecting substances in IVs, etc. So, he was aware of the disease. However, I still think that most think of this disorder as one which only occurs in a hospital setting. They don't know about the abuse at home or the doctor "shopping" and the blatant lying.

There's a very disturbing twist at the end of Gregory's book. The upshot is that the disorder never goes away. The victim must remove herself or be removed or the cycle will begin again. Being that Terri Cerda's mother seems to have displayed some level of Munchausen Syndrome, I have to wonder if it can carry over to the victim. We haven't seen it at all in our child. He/she is totally healthy and rarely complains about ailments. Julie Gregory seems to have healed through her writing her stories.

I was under the impression that the disorder was primarily caused by a mother who suffered unresolved trauma and who desperately sought attention by projecting her pain on her children--typically a daughter with some mild and highly treatable illness. I'm starting to wonder if the cycle can continue if not caught and the victim treated and removed from the abusive situation.

Once again, I really appreciate you sharing your personal experience. I really wonder how many people are silent victims of this form of abuse. I'd love to see some sort of support group or forum for those who have lived through this unique type of hell. My guess is that victims/survivors could spot a case a mile off. I'm so sorry you had this experience and as always, I'm impressed with your tenacity and strength to rise above.

 

[forthelost]

Also with Gregory, she was fed pretty much exclusively sugary empty calories and as a result was underweight and tired from malnourishment. Those symptoms were worked by her mother as being signs of a heart problem, and the doctors believed it despite the fact every cardiac test she had came back normal. (They're included in the book.)